Explore every episode of the podcast TrepTalks with Sushant
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Front-Facing Dog Backpack Carrier - Joseph Watson of K9 Sport Sack® | 01 Apr 2025 | 01:16:51 | |
Joseph Watson, Co-owner of K9 Sport Sack, shares the inspirational story of how rescuing a puppy named Daisy from a dumpster led him and his wife to create a product that allows people to bring their dogs along on cycling and hiking adventures. Throughout the interview, Joseph discusses the evolution of the K9 Sport Sack, the challenges they faced, the strategies they employed, and the passionate community of pet owners they serve. He also gives insights on their manufacturing process, the intricacies of product development, and the innovations his company is working on. Furthermore, he highlights the importance of hard work, honesty, and kindness in any entrepreneurial journey. | |||
| Innovative Muscle Scraping Tools Company - David Restiano of Sorsoap | 25 Mar 2025 | 00:58:06 | |
David Restiano, the founder and inventor of Sorsoap, a unique muscle scraping soap designed for use in the shower, integrating physical therapy into daily routines. David shares the story of how he came up with the idea during the COVID-19 pandemic while dealing with soreness from running. He discusses the development process, manufacturing challenges, Shark Tank experience, and the successful marketing strategies that have contributed to the company's growth. David emphasizes the importance of treating customers well and provides insights into his social media marketing approach, particularly on TikTok, which has been pivotal in driving sales. He wraps up by discussing the future plans for Sorsoap, including expanding into retail stores. | |||
| Fun Cardboard Cat Toys and Playhouses – Dawn LaFontaine of Cat in the Box | 02 Oct 2024 | 00:41:00 | |
Dawn LaFontaine, founder of Cat in the Box, shares her story of starting a Cat Wool Toys and Playhouses products business out of love for cats and also to be more in control of her working life. Dawn shares some of the challenges she faced in creating her products and also the successes in getting traction from the market and a community of cat lovers that buy from her as well as how she is scaling her business. | |||
| Building a handcrafted watch-strap brand - Daniel Luczak of DaLuca Straps | 11 Dec 2022 | 01:05:08 | |
Daniel Luczak of DaLuca Straps shares his story of starting a company that manufactures and sells handcrafted watch straps and then expanding to selling other products as well. | |||
| Making earrings for people with sensitive skin - Jackie Burke of Tini Lux | 20 Nov 2022 | 00:53:15 | |
Jackie Burke of Tini Lux shares how she built a company that accommodates people who cannot wear earrings due to skin allergies and sensitivities. Tini Lux sells beautiful and sustainable earrings that are made with pure metal, allowing everyone the luxury to accessorize without pain. | |||
| Can diabetics enjoy desserts? - David Downing of ChipMonk Baking proves they can! | 19 Nov 2022 | 01:00:54 | |
David Downing of ChipMonk Baking shares how he and his partner Jose Hernandez started an online desserts business that sells delicious sugar-free cookies using healthy and natural ingredients. | |||
| Turning the love for leather into a leather goods company - Phil Kalas of Ashland Leather | 18 Nov 2022 | 01:09:07 | |
Phil Kalas of Ashland Leather shares how his love and passion for leather pushed him towards starting a business that sells handmade leather wallets for men and other fine leather goods. | |||
| Bringing the sport of Cycling to India - Mukund Umesh Thakkar of Mastermind Bicycle Studio | 18 Nov 2022 | 01:03:23 | |
Mukund Umesh Thakkar of Mastermind Bicycle Studio shares how he cycled across the world and learned the fundamentals of cycling which helped him in building a business out of the sport. | |||
| Building an online handcrafted leather goods brand - Ryan Popoff of Popov Leather | 14 Nov 2022 | 00:57:39 | |
Ryan Popoff of Popov Leather shares his journey of starting his business as a hobby and then turning it into a full-time venture which turned out to be his best decision ever. | |||
| Building a handcrafted, sustainable jewelry brand - Lizzy Klein of mazi + zo | 09 Nov 2022 | 00:45:43 | |
Lizzy Klein of mazi + zo shares how she created an online jewelry store that provides jewelry lovers out there with all the unique designs made with sustainably-sourced materials. | |||
| Building a Smoking Accessories E-commerce Business - Nassir Silwany of CaliConnected | 09 Nov 2022 | 00:48:59 | |
Nassir Silwany of CaliConnected shares how he, along with his partner, created an online marketplace for high-quality smoking accessories. | |||
| Creating a Shoe with Removeable Heels - Tanya Heath of TANYA HEATH Paris | 24 Oct 2022 | 00:51:25 | |
Tanya Heath of TANYA HEATH Paris shares her story of struggling with footwear, which inspired her to build a business that sells shoes with removable heels that provide women all around with the comfort and convenience of wearing or removing heels at any time they prefer. | |||
| Building a vehicle accessories e-commerce business - Mitchel Matthews of Adrenaline Offroad | 19 Oct 2022 | 00:40:23 | |
Mitchel Matthews of Adrenaline Offroad shares the story of how he built a successful e-commerce business with the idea of transforming rides with his products and selling LED Lights and other accessories for vehicles. | |||
| Building a Heavy-Duty Dog Accessories Brand - Maria Lee Magaña of Bully Wags | 22 Aug 2024 | 00:52:08 | |
Maria Lee Magaña, Founder of Bully Wags, shares the story of how she got inspiration for her dog leash and harness business from a challenge that she encountered while walking her own Bully. Maria shares her journey of developing and bringing the product to market, what has worked in terms of customer acquisition and her plans for being more breed-inclusive and expanding to new markets. | |||
| Re-inventing men's underwear with no prior experience - Anthony Ciavirella of Manmade | 14 Oct 2022 | 00:50:08 | |
Anthony Ciavirella of Manmade shares how he, along with his friends, founded a comfortable and high-quality brand of men's underwear without having any experience in designing apparel. | |||
| Building a light therapy business to help people with skin problems - Takashi Yanagi of Dermabeam | 05 Oct 2022 | 00:52:37 | |
Takashi Yanagi of Dermabeam shares how he manifested greatness and launched a light therapy business to help people overcome their skincare and healthcare issues in a healthy way. | |||
| Creating an herbal nutraceuticals brand for women's health - Maddie Miles of Peace. Love. Hormones | 02 Oct 2022 | 00:51:25 | |
Maddie Miles of Peace. Love. Hormones shares how she founded an herbal nutraceuticals brand to help women be at peace with their menstrual cycles and support their reproductive health. | |||
| Building a Healthy Snack Company out of a Kitchen Recipe - Dustin Finkel of Ka-Pop! | 29 Sep 2022 | 00:55:04 | |
Dustin Finkel of Ka-Pop! shares how he changed the narrative of snacks being unhealthy by building a company that makes nutritious and tasteful snacks using 100% ancient pure grains. | |||
| Building a Successful Tequila Business and Selling it through E-commerce - Carlos Manuel Soto of Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal | 27 Sep 2022 | 00:39:56 | |
Carlos Manuel Soto of Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal shares how he has built a successful tequila business as an immigrant in a highly saturated market after spending a month in Mexico to research the product and gain brand awareness. | |||
| Can you sell concrete through E-commerce? - Dario Baldoni of Concrete Countertop Solutions shows how | 13 Sep 2022 | 00:46:26 | |
Dario Baldoni of Concrete Countertop Solutions shares how he has built a successful e-commerce business around decorative concrete countertop solutions. Interesting interview to learn about a business category which may not traditionally be linked with E-commerce | |||
| Building a Successful Beach Chair Business - Leslie Hsu of Sunflow | 09 Sep 2022 | 00:40:41 | |
Leslie Hsu of Sunflow shares the story of building a comfortable beach chair brand and growing it to a seven-figure business | |||
| Building a Successful Fidget Sticker Business - Michael Malkin of Calm Strips | 25 Aug 2022 | 00:49:44 | |
Michael Malkin of Calm Strips shares the story of building a new kind of fidget toy in the form of a sticker which can be used to calm nerves and increase focus | |||
| Building a Sustainable, Plastic Free Bath and Body Products Business - Lindsey McCoy of Plaine Products | 22 Aug 2022 | 00:45:05 | |
Lindsey McCoy of Plaine Products shares her passion for sustainability and the story of building a bathroom products business that replaces single-use plastic bottles by utilizing refillable and re-usable non-plastic bottles. | |||
| Building A CBD (Hemp) Personal and Pet Products Business - Stacy Moore of Healing Harbors | 15 Aug 2022 | 00:43:59 | |
Stacy Moore of Healing Harbors shares how she discovered the health benefits of CBD and decided to start a CBD business after getting out of her military work as a helicopter mechanic | |||
| Building a Lavender Based Personal Grooming Brand - Jocelyn Sheppard of Appalachian Botanicals | 09 Aug 2024 | 01:03:50 | |
Jocelyn Sheppard, founder of Appalachian Botanical shares the story of how she is utilizing reclaimed coal mining land in West Virginia to grow Lavender and build a natural personal grooming brand while creating jobs for marginalized people in the local community. Jocelyn shares her lessons in scaling business through B2B channels, importance of branding, and making a difference in her community through her business. | |||
| Using Content to Grow a 7-Figure Dog Pet Jewelry Business - Parth Kukreja of PupRing | 12 Aug 2022 | 00:46:35 | |
Parth Kukreja of PupRing shares how he and his co-founders used engaging social content to grow a mid-7-figure dog pet jewelry business and some of the lessons learned along the way | |||
| Building and Scaling a One Product Business - Kressa Peterson of Shower Toga | 08 Aug 2022 | 00:52:09 | |
Kressa Peterson of Shower Toga shares her passion for helping athletes shower and change anywhere after races and other sporting events. Kressa also shares getting funded on Shark Tank, working with Mark Cuban, and the risks and challenges of scaling a one-product business. | |||
| Building a Mission Driven Socks and Apparel E-commerce Business - Michael Mader of Hippy Feet | 27 Jul 2022 | 00:53:52 | |
While recovering from a traumatic head injury, Michael Mader of Hippy Feet was inspired to create a mission-driven sock and apparel company that would help people experiencing homelessness. | |||
| Building a Limited Edition Sneakers E-commerce Business - Kola Tytler of Dropout | 22 Jul 2022 | 00:50:42 | |
Kola Tytler of Dropout shares how his passion and expertise around sneakers helped him to build a limited edition sneakers e-commerce business in Italy. | |||
| A Pro Wave-Surfer Creates a Migraine Relieving Beanie - Nic Lamb of IceBeanie | 18 Jul 2022 | 00:38:31 | |
Nic Lamb of IceBeanie shares how a concussion while wave-surfing motivated him to create a cold-therapy migraine relieving Beanie and also build a profitable business out of it. | |||
| Building a New Kind of Neck and Leg Shaver - Reid Simkovitz of The Scruffie | 14 Jul 2022 | 00:45:51 | |
Reid Simkovitz of The Scruffie created a new kind of shaver for getting rid of neck hairs which many are finding useful for shaving legs quickly. Reid shares how he is using TikTok and Instagram to bring in new clients and grow his business. | |||
| Building an 8-Figure Niche Sport Product (Disc Golf) Online Business - Alan Barker of Infinite Discs | 16 Jun 2022 | 00:42:22 | |
Alan Barker shares the story of how he slowly scaled a niche sport product (Disc Golf) business from selling via affiliate links to becoming the largest global direct-to-consumer (D2C) online retailer. | |||
| Selling Custom Wood-Working Items (Butcher Blocks) through E-commerce - Nils Wessell of Brooklyn Butcher Blocks | 13 Jun 2022 | 00:55:06 | |
Nils Wessell of Brooklyn Butcher Blocks shares the story of selling his custom-made high-quality wooden butcher blocks through e-commerce. A great case-study on how non-traditional businesses can utilize e-commerce to find non-local customers. | |||
| Building an Everyday Carry (EDC) Tools Business Focused on Design and Utility - Mike Scully of Lever Gear | 07 Jun 2022 | 00:58:06 | |
Mike Scully of Lever Gear shares the story of utilizing his skills in design and engineering to build an Everyday Carry (EDC) Tools business with very well-designed tools that are versatile and useful. | |||
| Building a Tech Focused Sticker Printing E-commerce Business - David Rubie-Todd of Sticker It | 26 May 2022 | 00:44:04 | |
David Rubie-Todd of Sticker It shares the story of building a technology-focused sticker printing e-commerce business. | |||
| Building a Kindle Accessories Brand - Louise Rice of Strapsicle | 01 Aug 2024 | 00:49:00 | |
Louise Rice, founder of Strapsicle, shares her story of creating a Kindle Strap while on her maternity leave to enable easy reading experience and to prevent the device from accidently falling. Louise shares her lessons in gaining traction early on, success with selling in the US on Amazon, her efforts to scale the business globally, as well as a strong focus on building a brand. | |||
| Building a Quality First Supplements Company - Ben Esgro of Elemental Formulations | 23 May 2022 | 00:54:06 | |
Ben Esgro of Elemental Formulations shares the story of building a supplements company focused on quality ingredients and rigorous testing and differentiating in a highly competitive market. | |||
| Bringing Edible Spoons to Market to Reduce Single Use Plastics - Dinesh Tadepalli of IncrEDIBLE Eats | 16 May 2022 | 00:47:37 | |
Bringing Edible Spoons to Market to Reduce Single-Use Plastics - Dinesh Tadepalli of IncrEDIBLE Eats. | |||
| Inventing Noise Cancellation Earbuds for Sleeping - Janne Kyllönen of QuietOn | 12 May 2022 | 00:35:09 | |
Janne Kyllönen of QuietOn shares the story of creating noise cancellation earbuds specifically built for sleeping and relaxation. | |||
| Inventing Frozen Superfood Face Mask Popsicles - Lynda Truong and Paul Tran of Love&Pebble | 06 May 2022 | 00:52:50 | |
Lynda Truong and Paul Tran of Love&Pebble combined the idea of cryotherapy and face masks to create a unique beauty product. | |||
| Inventing a Kids Car Seat Buckle Release Tool - Becca Davison of UnbuckleMe | 05 Apr 2022 | 00:39:24 | |
Becca Davison of UnbuckleMe shares the story of co-inventing a car seat buckle release tool and profitably bringing the new product to market | |||
| Building a Prank Musical Greeting Card Business - Travis Peterson of Joker Greeting | 01 Mar 2022 | 00:57:57 | |
Travis Peterson of Joker Greeting shares building a prank musical greeting card brand and how a lucky PR break helped launch the product in the market. | |||
| Building a Successful Protein Bar Brand in a Saturated Market - Will Nitze of IQBAR | 31 Jan 2022 | 00:39:00 | |
Will Nitze of IQBAR shares the story of creating a Protein Bar brand in a saturated market and differentiating by appealing to Brain Health specifically and getting distribution in 7000+ retailers in the US | |||
| Developing a Heel-less Shoe - Olguy Songolo of the Difference | 23 Jan 2022 | 00:56:56 | |
Olguy Songolo of the Difference shares the true passion and tenacity that it takes to create and bring a new product to market. | |||
| Building a Pouch Underwear Brand - Robert Patton of Sheath Underwear | 12 Jan 2022 | 00:57:18 | |
Robert Patton of Sheath Underwear shares the story of building Sheath Underwear, working with UFC fighters and Comedians as a marketing strategy, and persisting through challenges to bring your idea to market. | |||
| Building A Scented Candle Brand - D'Shawn Russell of Southern Elegance Candle Company | 03 Jan 2022 | 00:57:48 | |
D'Shawn Russell of Southern Elegance Candle Company shares lessons on building a strong brand within a generic scented candles category. | |||
| Disrupting the Pet Products Industry - Adam Baker of SodaPup | 19 Jul 2024 | 01:03:59 | |
Adam Baker of SodaPup shares his experiences in applying business principles learned from successful career in the footwear and apparel industry (Nike, Crocs etc.) to the pet industry. Adam shares his lessons in growing the business through strategic partnerships and contracts to pay for expensive moulds for his products as well as getting distribution and brand building. | |||
| Building A Mission Driven Flip-Flops Brand - Matthew Griffin of Combat Flip Flops | 24 Dec 2021 | 00:59:28 | |
Matthew Griffin shares the story of building and growing a mission-driven Flip Flops Brand after completing his tour of duty. | |||
| Wylie Robinson - Founder, Rumpl - Re-inventing the Blanket Category with Rumpl | 17 Dec 2021 | 00:52:59 | |
Wylie Robinson shares the process of re-imagining the traditional home blankets with sustainable technical materials and positioning it successfully in a very crowded market with a problem-solution narrative | |||
| Michael Chou - Founder, Midnight Scoop - Inventing the Perfect Ice Cream Scoop | 18 Mar 2021 | 00:45:34 | |
Michael Chou, an Aerospace Engineer by profession, engineered the perfect ice cream scoop to solve a problem for himself and created a business out of it. | |||